


Behind Facades

by cian1675



Category: Block B
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Architecture students AU, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Slice of Life, Sort Of Fluff, Strangers to Lovers, but tbh not that much architecture lingo so don't worry, jiho-centric, metaphorical facades and also literal architecture facades, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 08:53:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7928512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cian1675/pseuds/cian1675
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Well, appearances are just that. Appearances.” Jaehyo’s eyes open, looking at Jiho when he continues, “If it’s any consolation, I’m constantly assumed to be nothing more than a pretty face. But think of it this way, if people can’t get past the initial appearance, then they’ll never get to know who we are on the inside. And that’s their loss, not ours.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Behind Facades

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Detrás de las Fachadas](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10310600) by [YeolSongarak](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YeolSongarak/pseuds/YeolSongarak)



A lot of people think Jiho’s the kind who’ll frequent bars and night clubs when he’s free. They’re wrong. He’ll much rather spend that time alone at home, curled up on the bed with a book and music softly playing in the background. Just because he has a penchant for dyeing his hair blond, spotting multiple ear piercings, and having tattoos peek out from low necklines and short sleeved tees doesn’t mean he’s a partying sort, even though he’s actually seated in a bar right now. It’s an exception, not the norm, but with the way the people around him are giving him looks, it’s clear that they think he’s a regular patron. As if. He’s only here because Kyung wouldn’t stop whining about needing a wingman, and had forcibly dragged Jiho out of their apartment despite his vehement protests.

“You need to relax,” Kyung says under his breath, jabbing Jiho slightly in his ribs even as his eyes scan the place for some guy he had probably chatted up one of the many nights he comes to this place.

“You’ve already dragged me here, don’t tell me what to do,” Jiho mutters, fingers lightly tracing the lip of his glass of something that’s not even alcohol because he’s a lightweight despite looking like he can hold his liquor well.

“Sheesh, in a bad mood, aren’t you?” Kyung trades back lightly, not terribly concerned that Jiho’s moody, or that he’s the reason for it.

Jiho doesn’t bother replying, just rolls his eyes. Kyung knows him long and well enough to know the answer without asking anyway. As Jiho considers his escape options in his mind, Kyung’s head finally stops moving, eyes fixed on some far corner of the room. Before Jiho gets a chance to say anything, Kyung gets up to go. He wonders if he’s a bad friend if he slips off right now and abandons Kyung here. _Probably not_ , because Kyung’s already talking to the guy he had been looking for, and doesn’t look like he’ll miss Jiho even if he’s gone.

He’s getting up to go, when someone taps him on the shoulder. Jiho turns, half-expecting it to be Kyung even though his best friend hardly ever finishes conversations in the bar so quickly. It isn’t. It’s a tall guy, about the same height as Jiho, with longish honey brown hair and sharp but delicate features.

“Whatever it is you’re offering, I’m not interested,” Jiho states, knowing he probably comes off as rude, but he just really wants to get out of the crowded place and head home where he can be alone. The guy looks surprised, but then his mouth turns up in amusement. It isn’t the look of dejection Jiho expects (not that he had intended to hurt the guy’s feelings), so Jiho adds, “If it’s a one-night stand you’re after, I don’t do those. And anyway, I’m leaving.”

The guy blinks at him for a second, before he suddenly bends over in laughter. Jiho’s not quite sure what’s so amusing about the situation, but he figures he can just go since he’d already made his position clear. But the guy slips a hand around his wrists, only lightly encircling it, no pressure on his skin at all. Between wiping the tears from laughing and taking in large wheezing breathes to calm himself, the guy manages to say, “What kind of ego do you have, that you’ll think I’m here to ask you for a one-night stand?”

Jiho doesn’t think the guy’s looking for an answer, figuring it to be a rhetorical question, but then a long pause passes, and the guy gives him a questioning look. Jiho doesn’t have a good answer, so he just says, “This is a gay bar, right? Don’t these kinds of things happen often here? So I kind of just assumed...”

“Assumed that I’m trying to pick you up?” The guy laughs again, softer this time. His eyes are still glistening from the tears of laughter, not that Jiho’s noticing. “Well, sorry if I gave you that impression, but I just wanted to say hi, because I thought I recognized you. We’re from the same department in university.”

“What’s an architecture student doing in a bar on a Friday night?” Jiho asks reflexively, even though it’s probably a stupid question because he’s one himself, and he’s clearly in the bar too, isn’t he?

“If you’re referring to the general opinion that architecture students have no life, no time to sleep and are only ever found in their design studios, I’ll have you know that that’s not true. Though of course, that you’re here yourself should be indication enough,” the guy replies easily. “Oh, and I’m Jaehyo, by the way. Fourth year.”

“…Jiho, second year,” Jiho hears himself say, more out of politeness than anything.

“Yeah, I know. You’re kind of famous even amongst the fourth years. The professors and students always talk about how amazing your designs are.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Jiho replies, not entirely sure what Jaehyo’s agenda is. He doesn’t want to say more in case it gets him caught in a longer conversation. The one he’s in right now is already impeding his escape plan.

“Anyway, that’s all. I just came to say hi, and I’ve done that. You look like you’re rushing to go off somewhere so I won’t bother you anymore,” Jaehyo says with a small nod, disappearing back into the crowd. Suddenly alone again, Jiho spends all of one second checking that Kyung’s still occupied, before he makes his way out of the place.

It is only when he’s back in his apartment does Jiho considers what had just happened in the bar. He’s not too concerned about the fact that someone from school had seen him in a gay bar. There are plenty of people who aren’t heterosexual in the architecture department, and those who are tend to be relatively more understanding and accepting than his peers in high school had been. Instead, he’s curious why a senior would spend the effort to say hi to him, particularly a senior he doesn’t think he’s really seen around school, even though Jaehyo had said he’s from the same department. He doesn’t spend too much time thinking about it though, because he’s starting to get sleepy, although he manages to find Jaehyo on Instagram after searching for his name and the university’s name on Naver. It’s just a bunch of selfies, with one or two artistic black and white photos of architecture thrown in, nothing very special, and Jiho falls asleep with his phone in his hand while scrolling through Jaehyo’s Instagram.

 

 

It’s about a week later when Jiho’s walking past some of the panels of choice student works hanging on the corridors leading to the second year studio that he realizes that one of them is designed by an “Ahn Jaehyo”. The school displays the best works of each semester around the building, and usually Jiho doesn’t pay attention to them, because what’s considered good student works isn’t always actually good architecture. Most of the time they just choose the designs with fancily rendered perspectives, complete with artistic filters and dreamy backgrounds that obscure the design more than they elucidate the building’s intention, but Jiho doesn’t believe in choosing packaging over content. Jaehyo’s design, however, isn’t one of those that favours style over substance, Jiho realizes as he studies the simple but informative drawings of building plans and sections. There’s actually something that might be an exciting, if quiet sort of space in the building that Jaehyo’s designed, and Jiho wonders why a competent student like Jaehyo might be interested in his works. Sure, Jiho has some interesting ideas and designs, and unlike his course mates, he isn’t afraid to try different building forms, different ways of designing, different things. But he’s nowhere as competent as a fourth year, and his skills as a designer still need a lot of improvement. Jiho’s mulling over this while standing in front of Jaehyo’s drawings when Jaehyo himself suddenly appears.

“I see you’ve found my work,” Jaehyo says quietly from a little behind Jiho, and he almost jumps away in surprise. Jaehyo probably picked up on the slight panic in his eyes, because he smiles a bit, then adds, “Sorry if I scared you. I’ve been told I walk quietly.”

Jiho nods slightly, hoping he doesn’t look so startled now, putting on a neutral face. But then he remembers that his neutral face is kind of scary (“Resting bitch face”, Kyung had called it), so he tries for a slight smile, only stopping when he realizes he looks a bit creepy from the reflection of the glass in the frame of Jaehyo’s panels. Resuming his neutral face, Jiho says, “It’s okay, I was just distracted and didn’t hear you walking down the corridor. And I wasn’t specifically looking for your work. I just happened to be browsing the projects while walking.”

“I see. Well, I’m going to guess you’ve looked at my work though, since you’re standing in front of it. What do you think about my design?” Jaehyo asks.

Jiho thinks for a while, trying to put his thoughts into words, “It’s good. I like how you’ve designed the inside of the building to very clearly show your intention of making the library a quiet space for contemplation but also one for people to socialize. But I thought the façade of the building is a bit discordant with the things going on inside… It’s too…”

“Generic?” Jaehyo suggests.

“Hmm, not really. It’s almost too… aesthetically pleasing. Pretty, like it’s attracting too much attention to itself even though it’s supposed to be a quiet space inside,” Jiho corrects with a slight frown. He hopes Jaehyo’s not the kind to take critiques badly.

“Huh,” Jaehyo pauses, “I’ve never thought about it that way. That’s an interesting and perhaps not entirely wrong observation.”

Jiho doesn’t reply because Jaehyo doesn’t look like he’s listening, the way his eyes are glancing into something in the distance. Jiho wonders if Jaehyo’s thinking about something else.

 

 

In the cafeteria for lunch, Jiho sees Dean and Minho with a bunch of other second years at a table eating, but they’re already almost done, so he doesn’t bother joining them. Jiho just nods when he passes by. They return the nod, not asking why he’s not sitting with them. Somewhere a little far back, Jiho spots Jay, a senior, eating with another guy he presumes is also a senior since he doesn’t recognize the face. Jay doesn’t see him, so he doesn’t greet the guy. Jiho sets his tray on the table, then arranges his long jacket so it won’t crumple too much when he sits. He knows quite a lot of the students in architecture, both his batch mates and some seniors, but they’re more acquaintances than real friends. They say hi, they hang out; on the surface Jiho seems like he’s might even be a social butterfly with the number of people he casually knows, but really, he’s only drifting around them because he’s not that close to anyone. The one person he’s even remotely close to is Kyung, and that’s mostly because they’ve known each other since before middle school. But Kyung’s not in architecture, he’s in Math and he uses the cafeteria nearer to the Math block, so Jiho usually ends up eating lunch alone. It works out better this way anyway. He can quickly eat so he can get back to studio to do his work without having to entertain people.

Jiho’s started on his beanpaste stew when someone sets a tray down opposite him. Wondering if it’s Jay stopping to say hi, Jiho doesn’t expect to see Jaehyo’s pretty face, but it’s the same pair of slightly round eyes, tall nose and symmetrical lips he had just seen a hour or so ago. Jaehyo takes a seat when Jiho doesn’t object, digging into his food without a word. It’s only after Jiho’s halfway through his food does he ask, “What are you doing here?”

“Eating, like you,” Jaehyo replies between spoonfuls of soup. He gives a shrug like it’s nothing, but Jiho doesn’t think seeing Jaehyo twice in a day is a coincidence, especially not after Jaehyo went out of his way to say hi to him at the bar a week ago. He tells Jaehyo as much, not particularly caring if the guy thinks he’s egoistic, but all Jaehyo does is give him a pretty smile, “I guess you’re not that slow after all.”

If it implies what Jiho thinks it does, it’ll probably mean that Jaehyo had probably approached him the other day at the bar wanting a one-night stand or something of the sort. But when he asks Jaehyo if that was his intention from the start, Jaehyo just stares at him, before saying, “You’re weird, you know that? I’m trying to get to know you, not get in your pants.”

Jiho feels vaguely bad for thinking that, until Jaehyo adds, “Well, I mean, it’s not like I don’t want to, but I’m more interested in knowing you as a person first.”

He’s not sure what to reply to that, but the warmth rushing to his cheeks suggest that maybe Jaehyo will pick up on what he’s feeling anyway.

 

 

Despite the awkward start, Jiho finds himself letting Jaehyo into his life. At first it’s because Jaehyo keeps appearing, maybe not daily because they’re both too busy with studio work to do that, but often enough that Jiho thinks he’s seen Jaehyo more in the past month than he’s seen Kyung, despite Kyung being his apartment mate. Then Jiho finds himself seeking out Jaehyo for his opinion on his design or asking for help on technical things like _Autocad_ or _Archicad_ , drawing and modelling programs he’s used before but isn’t the most skilled with. They get comfortable enough to be something more than acquaintances, maybe even friends, trading easy conversation when they pass each other down the corridor or in the cafeteria.

Sometimes Jaehyo orders in supper when they both stay late in the studio in school to do work, paying for both their food. When Jiho mentions that he can pay his own share, that Jaehyo doesn’t need to treat, Jaehyo replies that it’s his duty as a _hyung_. Jaehyo doesn’t mention anything about what he had said that time during lunch, about wanting to know Jiho better, or that he might want to get into Jiho’s pants. He doesn’t make any moves either, never stepping over the boundaries of a senior or friend, so Jiho’s not sure what Jaehyo’s thinking exactly. What had Jaehyo meant when he said he wanted to get to know Jiho? Did he mean it as just a friend, or had he meant something more? Was he joking about wanting to get into Jiho’s pants? Jiho doesn’t know.

It vaguely bothers him that he doesn’t know, but Jiho doesn’t dwell too long on it. It isn’t the most important thing in his life anyway, because he’s more focused on architecture. Having first encountered architecture through the writings of Rem Koolhaas, Jiho started seriously contemplating becoming an architect in high school, reading extensively on the history of modern and Korean architecture after he came to realize that he has an insatiable interest in the field. Although he’s in one of the best architecture universities in Korea, it’s only the start of Jiho’s eventual dream to becoming an architect who designs great buildings, and he has a lot to learn in the meantime. It’s good that the professors and students think he has a flair for design, but Jiho wants to constantly improve even if others think he’s good, because that’s how he’ll achieve what he wants. Jiho honestly thinks and believes this, but he’s also only human, so at times when he gets stuck on design, like right now, his mind reverts to more mundane things, and Jiho finds himself wondering what Jaehyo thinks of him.

It’s at this moment that Jaehyo comes into Jiho’s studio, the creak of the door opening announcing his arrival. He looks up, sees a tired Jaehyo, and thinks that he probably looks equally drained. It’s the middle of the night now, long past the last bus home and Jiho’s not exactly looking forward to having to sleep on the hard tables again. He tries his best to manage his time well so he doesn’t have to stay over that often (mostly because Kyung nags at him, saying that it’s bad for his body and doesn’t shut up until Jiho promises to sleep properly at least 5 days a week) but Jiho sometimes forgets the time when he’s designing. He stretches his stiff back, saying, “Guess you’re staying overnight in studio today like me, huh?”

Jaehyo gives him a weak smile, probably too tired as he leans on a table. “Nah, I’m walking back to my apartment soon. I wanted to stay overnight but I’m just dozing off, so there’s no point in torturing myself drawing useless things on the paper.”

“That’s nice, that your apartment is near enough to walk home to. Mine will take at least an hour,” Jiho comments, resting his cheek on his palm as he idly doodles over the crappy design he had drew just now. He’s stuck on his work, he’s getting drowsy, and Jaehyo’s actually going home so he won’t have company. It makes him feel more tired, and Jiho thinks he might have unintentionally pouted when he adds, “I’m so stuck and so sleepy, I should probably just take a nap before continuing. If only I have somewhere besides these unforgiving, cold, hard tables to sleep on.”

He hadn’t intended anything when he had said the words, but Jiho thinks he might sound to Jaehyo like he’s asking to crash at his place. Jiho’s opening his mouth to correct that possible misconception when Jaehyo says lightly, “Want to come over to my place then?”

It wasn’t his intention, but Jiho doesn’t think twice before he answers, “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

 

 

Jaehyo’s place is only ten minutes away, just a little outside the school. Jiho decides on the walk there that he can probably spare 6 hours to sleep instead of the short nap he had contemplated earlier. His design can wait until the morning, since it’s just a review with the tutor and not some important presentation. Jaehyo doesn’t say much on the way there, just pointing out where his place is so Jiho knows how to get back to school later. Jiho’s doesn’t start a conversation either, because it’s in the middle of the night and he’s half asleep, so he just follows. It’s only after they’re actually in Jaehyo’s small one-room apartment that Jiho remembers he had just been wondering what Jaehyo thinks of him earlier, about whether the guy wants to be friends with Jiho or if he’s looking for something _more_. The reminder has Jiho feeling suddenly awkward about standing in Jaehyo’s living room (which is also his bedroom, because it’s a one-room apartment).

“Here, you can wear some of my clothes to sleep so you won’t rumple yours,” Jaehyo says, thrusting some folded clothes and a towel at him.

Jiho thinks the towel means Jaehyo’s asking him to shower first, so he locks the door to the bathroom and quickly cleans himself, trying not to think too much about the fact that he’s wearing clothes that smell like Jaehyo. Even though he’s just staying at Jaehyo’s place so he won’t have to sleep in studio, Jiho suddenly feels like he’s here for a booty call. _It’s all just in your head_ , he thinks. Jaehyo hadn’t indicated that he’s anything but a friend, and Jiho’s the one overanalyzing a comment the guy might have said offhandedly as a joke a month ago. He splashes some water on his face to clear his thoughts before he opens the door.

 

 

Jaehyo takes only 5 minutes to shower, which surprises Jiho. He’ll have thought a guy as well-groomed as Jaehyo would spend much longer in the toilet, and his face probably shows what he’s thinking, because Jaehyo says, “You’re thinking hard about something. What’s it?”

“Nothing much. Just thought you’ll spend longer in the shower, that’s all,” Jiho mumbles, stretching on the small one-seater sofa. It’s too small to sleep on, but Jaehyo has a carpet that seems clean enough, so Jiho’s probably going to sleep on that. It’s better than the tables in school, at least, probably softer and warmer.

“Why did you think I’ll take a long shower anyway? Did I seem like the type?” Jaehyo jokes, quickly running his towel through his hair to dry it. Jiho’s hair is half dry already, although he hadn’t done anything. He doesn’t really mind sleeping with wet hair since it’s summer right now.

“Hmm, you look like you take care of your appearance well,” is all Jiho says, because he thinks if he says anything more, he might wax poetry about how he thinks Jaehyo looks really handsome (or maybe blabber nonsense, given how drowsy his brain is). He already noticed it the first few times they met, but Jiho thought it’ll be the kind of handsome where the longer he’s exposed to it, the more immune he’ll be to it. He’s wrong. He’s only noticed how much more proportionate and symmetrical Jaehyo’s features and built are the longer he has seen the guy.

Said beautiful face scrunches up, lines creasing around Jaehyo’s nose when he replies, “Well, I mean, I do take care of how I look, but it’s not the first thing on my mind. At least, not all the time. Anyway, enough of that, it’s late. We should sleep.”

Jiho stays where he is on the sofa, looking at Jaehyo clamber onto his single bed, wondering if he should lie down on the carpet now. Maybe he should put a towel on the carpet first, so he doesn’t soak it with his half-wet hair. He’s busy trying to decide, so he doesn’t notice Jaehyo giving him a look until he says, “Jiho.”

“Yeah?”

“I just asked you if you want to share the bed with me, since there’s not much else you can sleep on besides the carpet. But you know, if you’ll find that uncomfortable, you don’t have to.”

Jiho raises his eyebrows at Jaehyo’s offer, thinking for a while before he eventually says, “I’ll just sleep on the carpet, I think. Your bed doesn’t look like it’ll fit both of us comfortably.” He pauses, then adds, “Thanks for the offer though.”

Jaehyo doesn’t insist, nodding slightly before he slides himself under his covers. “Goodnight, Jiho.”

“…goodnight.” Jiho feels strange lying there on the carpet of Jaehyo’s apartment, wearing Jaehyo’s clothes with the guy sleeping on a bed just nearby, but he doesn’t have time to dwell on it, because his body is tired, and sleep overtakes him before he realizes it.

 

 

His alarm rings in the morning, and Jiho blurrily finds his phone to silence it before it wakes Jaehyo up. On the bed, the lump under the covers just turns slightly, before a hand peeks out from under the blanket to pull it up higher. Jaehyo’s probably not waking up so early then, Jiho thinks, getting up to wash up and change back into his clothes. Jaehyo’s still sleeping when he’s done, so Jiho just writes a quick note telling him he’s going back to studio, then leaves.

In school, Jiho finishes up the design he has to do before meeting his tutor, throwing his pen down when he’s finally done with the drawing. It’s messy and rough, but it’ll do.

 

 

“…why does your building look so…”

“So…?” Jiho prompts, wondering what his tutor is going to say. Something good? Something bad? He fiddles with his pen waiting for the comment.

“It looks quite… loud,” his tutor eventually says, frowning at the elevations Jiho had drawn just earlier this morning. Sure, maybe the façade is a bit too decorative for the inside, Jiho thinks, but he did design the spaces within properly. He’s about to tell his tutor that when the guy puts Jiho’s stack of drawings down and sighs. “Jiho, maybe you should think properly about what you want to achieve with this design. You can’t just make the façade fancy and leave the spaces inside lacking.”

Jiho doesn’t get a chance to defend his design – defend himself – before his tutor stands up and moves on to the next student.

 

 

He’s lying on the sofa in his apartment when Kyung comes home. The lights suddenly being switched on makes Jiho close his eyes reflexively, and he would shout at Kyung if he has energy, but he doesn’t really feel like doing anything right now. Kyung probably senses that something is up, because he comes to stand by the sofa, nudging Jiho with his knee.

“What’s wrong?” The words are uttered softly, none of the usual teasing tone Kyung usually uses.

Jiho carefully opens his eyes, still squinting in case the lights are too bright. Kyung’s face is in shadows, but he can see the face his friend is making, way too serious like he had expected once he heard Kyung drop the joking tone. It’s not what he wants, so Jiho mumbles, “Nothing much. I just got bad feedback on my design.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, like I said, it’s nothing much,” Jiho mutters. He doesn’t think he wants to explain the whole thing to Kyung, even though Kyung probably wouldn’t mind listening. He doesn’t want to explain how he’s affected by his tutor’s comment, _loud on the outside, lacking on the inside._ That was a critique of his building, but Jiho thinks it might as well be a critique (criticism) of his own personality. He doesn’t notice it when he designs, but often Jiho finds pieces of himself imbued in the way he has arranged his spaces, the aesthetics he has decided to use, the functions he has fitted in the building. It’s probably not a good thing to take critique for his design so personally, but Jiho can’t help it, can’t help but feel he’s being judged for the way he _is_ even though the comment was nothing more than _design_ critique, and not a denouncement of his character. He doesn’t want to explain all of these thoughts to Kyung, too wrapped up in architecture lingo and design processes that Kyung isn’t familiar with, so he doesn’t. With a grunt and some effort, Jiho sits up, deciding to change the topic. “Do we still have ramyeon? I’m hungry.”

Kyung gives him a long look, long enough that Jiho thinks he’s going to be questioned, but eventually says, “Yeah, ramyeon should be in the top cupboard. I bought some last week.”

“Thanks,” Jiho says, thanking Kyung not just for the ramyeon’s location, but also for not probing. Kyung just nods. But later when Jiho catches Kyung’s eyes while cooking his noodles, the knowing look he gives suggests that Kyung has definitely picked up on that double meaning.

 

 

The clothes he borrowed from Jaehyo are freshly washed and neatly folded in a bag, but Jiho feels strange carrying it around the fourth years’ studio, trying to find Jaehyo’s desk. He ignores the feeling, asking the people who are still in the studio where Jaehyo sits. Eventually, he finds the tall slouched back of Jaehyo in a messy corner, the lights yellow and too bright, the desk overflowing with butter paper sketches with only a small area cleared for a laptop. Opening the door carefully, Jiho takes his time to observe the scene of Jaehyo working, drawing things on paper for a while and scratching his head in frustration. He doesn’t want to surprise the guy while he’s working, but he needs to return him the clothes, so Jiho clears his throat as politely as he can.

“Oh hey, Jiho. What brings you here?”

It’s the first time he’s in Jaehyo’s studio, even though Jaehyo has been to his a few times before when they’ve gotten midnight snacks. Jiho puts the bag of washed clothes on the desk, on the only clear space next to the laptop. “I’ve washed the clothes I borrowed from you the other day. Thought I’ll drop by and return them to you.”

“Oh, I didn’t notice that you took them back to wash,” Jaehyo says, putting down his pen and turning to Jiho. “You could have just tossed it into the hamper, but I guess I didn’t tell you that before I fell asleep. Thanks though.”

Jiho nods, and is about to leave, when Jaehyo wraps his hand around Jiho’s wrist, the same way he did that first time they met in the bar. “It’s Friday,” Jaehyo says with a smile, “I should take a break. Want to go get a drink with me?”

He doesn’t have plans, unless you count staying at home in just his underwear doing nothing a plan, but Jiho’s never been the kind of person to spontaneously accept invitations unless he has to. That’s the main reason he ends up staring at Jaehyo’s warm smile for too long, Jiho thinks, ignoring the fact that he had just gotten himself distracted by Jaehyo’s eyes. After much too long, Jiho opens his mouth, hears himself say, “Yeah, I’ll love to.”

Jaehyo’s response is a pat on his shoulder, and he starts packing his things.

 

 

Jiho’s slightly tipsy, having drunk most of the second pint of beer Jaehyo bought for him. He hadn’t known how to explain to Jaehyo that he rarely drinks, that he has a low tolerance for alcohol and gets tipsy too fast, because Jaehyo had looked so sincere when he asked if he could buy Jiho a beer, which later turned into two.  So he hadn’t. It didn’t mean he had to down his beer so fast though, but that was what Jiho had ended up doing, taking a sip every time he’s nervous or doesn’t know what to say to keep the conversation moving. He’s taking yet another sip, when he realizes that there’s nothing left in the glass. It doesn’t make sense. Wasn’t there still beer a while ago? Jiho stares at the empty glass for a little too long, and he brings it up close to his face to take a closer look, as if it’ll make beer magically appear again. It’s probably the wrong thing to do, because suddenly, Jaehyo’s prying the glass from his hands, brows furrowing.

“Are you okay?”

“…of course I’m –“hic – “okay,” Jiho replies, not sure why Jaehyo’s looking so concerned. “I just…”

“Just?”

Jiho frowns, wondering what he was going to say. His mind is a big mush right now, and he sees the thought in his mind, but it’s too far, and he can’t reach it… “Never mind, I forgot what I wanted to say.”

He suddenly feels like giggling, and Jiho doesn’t realize he’s actually doing it, until Jaehyo says, “I think you’re drunk.”

“Am I?” Jiho asks, pouting. He only ever really pouts to Kyung, and rarely in public, and that thought makes him realize that he probably _is_ drunk. “Damn, I think I am. Drunk, that is.” Another soft burp bubbles out of him, and he looks at Jaehyo, the guy’s face creased with concern, but still so handsome. It shouldn’t be possible, Jiho thinks, for someone to look this good, and actually still be smart and nice.

“So you don’t just think I’m a pretty face huh?” Jaehyo laughs, and Jiho realizes too late that he must have voiced his thoughts aloud. He belatedly tries to duck his head, hide his face with his fringe, but the alcohol in his system messes up his coordination, and Jiho finds himself stumbling. He doesn’t fall to the ground though, because there’s a hand pulling on his arm, and another on his waist. Jaehyo pulls him up to his feet properly, supporting his weight so he doesn’t fall, and Jiho’s glad, because he doesn’t think he has the energy to stand properly by himself. He forgets the fact that he’s supposed to be embarrassed (being drunk really makes him distracted), until Jaehyo mumbles, “I’m glad you don’t just see my outer appearance and think that that’s all that I am.”

He feels his face flush, although Jiho’s pretty sure his face was already red from the beer, and he mumbles, “It’ll be hypocritical, if I do that.” He doesn’t get to explain why because his mind is suddenly distracted by how Jaehyo smells, like fountain pen ink, the stale air in studio, and fresh laundry. The heat from Jaehyo’s body against his where he’s leaning too much of his weight on Jaehyo also clouds Jiho’s thoughts, and he only manages to say, “Maybe… Can you, like, bring me to your house? I don’t think I can make it home myself.”

Jaehyo laughs, the sound bright and too loud to Jiho’s ears, but he doesn’t mind. It’s the last thing he remembers of the night.

 

 

When Jiho wakes up in the morning, it’s with his mouth dry and his tongue feeling like sandpaper. He barely opens his eyes, before he sees a mop of brown hair in front of him, and the vaguely familiar background of Jaehyo’s apartment.

“Morning,” Jaehyo mumbles from where he’s lying beside Jiho, running a hand through his hair. The movement pushes his fringe out of his eyes, and Jiho can see that Jaehyo’s face is slightly puffy from sleep and the warm air in the room. He still looks gorgeous though. Jiho doesn’t mention that, because he suddenly remembers the stuff he had said last night while tipsy, and he only barely manages a soft morning greeting in reply while trying to hide his embarrassment.

If Jaehyo notices it, he doesn’t mention it. He just blinks slowly, like he’s still mostly sleepy, before he says offhandedly, “You’re surprisingly a lightweight. I didn’t expect you to get drunk on 2 pints of beer.”

It’s the truth, Jiho’s a lightweight, but he feels the need to defend himself for some reason, so he retorts, voice still scratchy from the dryness in his mouth, “Yah. I drank on an empty stomach. That’s the reason why.”

Jaehyo laughs, peering at him closely. “Alright, if you say so. You look all tough, but you’re really just a quiet soft guy on the inside huh?”

It’s too close to the truth, reminding him strangely of the comment his tutor had made the other day about his design, and Jiho finds himself unable to reply. He wonders if being quiet, soft and sensitive on the inside is _lacking_ , compared to his loud and tough exterior. Maybe.

He doesn’t want to think about that though, so he takes the moment to take in the fact that he’s lying on Jaehyo’s narrow single bed with Jaehyo beside him instead, and tries to figure out why he’s still lying there instead of getting up. He doesn’t feel strange being so close to Jaehyo, for some reason. If anything, it feels kind of nice. He’s still in the clothes he was wearing last night, but Jaehyo’s changed to some pajamas, and it’s pretty obvious that they did nothing but pass out the whole night. Looking at Jaehyo who seems to be falling back asleep, eyes lightly closing, Jiho finally says, “Well, I guess we don’t always seem like how we look.”

Jaehyo doesn’t reply for very long, and Jiho’s wondering if he had really drifted back to sleep when he eventually mumbles, “Well, appearances are just that. Appearances.” Jaehyo’s eyes open, looking at Jiho when he continues, “If it’s any consolation, I’m constantly assumed to be nothing more than a pretty face. But think of it this way, if people can’t get past the initial appearance, then they’ll never get to know who we are on the inside. And that’s their loss, not ours.”

Jiho muses over this, wondering if it’s really the other person’s loss. He lets his gaze go unfocused as he thinks, sinking back into the mattress. Jaehyo shifts slightly on the bed, but otherwise doesn’t move, and the two of them stay like this on the bed, quiet, for a long while. It’s a bit later when the sun’s rays from the window is shining on his face does Jaehyo move to get up. Jiho’s still lying on the bed, trying to ignore the light creeping onto his arm, heating the skin up. When it gets too warm, Jiho pulls his arm onto his body, and it’s at that moment that Jaehyo sits down on the bed.

“Here, you probably should drink some water.”

Jiho receives the glass Jaehyo’s holding out with both hands, gratefully drinking it. He had been too comfortable on the bed to move earlier, but now that he’s seated upright and drinking water, the reality of where he is suddenly sets in on him again. Jiho finishes the water, swallowing before he says, “Hey Jaehyo hyung.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you. For taking care of me and letting me stay last night ‘cause I was drunk.”

“It’s no problem,” Jaehyo replies, taking the now empty glass and crossing the room to put it in the sink. He turns around, resting against the counter, looking at Jiho without a word for so long, Jiho wonders if he looks worse of a mess than he thinks he probably is. But that’s not what Jaehyo comments on when he eventually opens his mouth. Instead, Jaehyo says something Jiho doesn’t expect.

“You know, seeing you like that, disheveled in the clothes you wore yesterday, lying on my bed… I can’t help but wonder what it might have been like if I had really just asked you for a one-night stand that night we first met. Would you have followed me home, and would this have been the scene I woke up to?”

Jaehyo says this almost too seriously, and Jiho blinks, too surprised to give an answer. So Jaehyo had really been interested in him _that way_ , huh? He almost thought he imagined the whole thing, the way Jaehyo hasn’t talked about it or made any moves in the time they’ve gotten to know each other since then. Before he can comment though, Jaehyo adds, “But I’m glad I didn’t, you know. Ask you for a one-night stand that night.”

Wait, what? Jiho’s confused now. It probably shows on his face because Jaehyo smiles slightly, before he says, “You look so confused. What I mean is, I’m glad I didn’t just make you a one-night stand that first time we met. I’m glad I got to know you first, past that initial impression of you I had, to get to know the person who’s passionate about architecture, who looks tough but is surprisingly sensitive inside. I’m glad I didn’t give up all that just for a short moment of pleasure.”

Jiho still doesn’t fully understand what Jaehyo’s saying. “What are you talking about? Are you… interested… in me? Is that what you are saying?”

Jaehyo’s smile turns into a lopsided grin when he answers, “Took you long enough to figure out huh, even though I pretty much already told you so that time in the cafeteria. Yes, Woo Jiho, I’m interested in you, all of you, not just your physical appearance, which, don’t get me wrong, the whole bad boy look gets me on and all, but I’m also very much interested in you as a person. Is that clear enough for you?”

If Jiho splutters, it’s only because he’s still suffering the aftereffects of being drunk, not because he’s flustered. Of course not. He stays on the bed, glad he’s seated already because he might not have been able to trust his legs if he was standing. After a while, he remembers that Jaehyo had technically asked a question, so he says, “Yeah, yeah, I heard you. Clearly. I... I’m glad. I’m glad…” He doesn’t know what he’s really glad for, so Jiho lets his sentence trail off. It’s too vague though, compared to what Jaehyo had offered, so he takes a deep breath and starts again. “I’m glad. I thought I was the only one interested in you. I wasn’t sure if you were joking back in the cafeteria, because you never mentioned it again, and you always acted like a regular hyung.”

There’s a look in Jaehyo’s eyes that Jiho doesn’t quite understand, but it passes, and Jaehyo nods, saying, “Hmm, I guess I was too concerned about wanting to know you as a friend first, that’s why it might have seemed that way to you. That I’m just acting like a hyung. Well. That’s definitely not the only way I feel about you. I don’t just want to be your hyung. I want to kiss you and… stuff.” Jaehyo gives a little awkward hand wave when he says “stuff” and Jiho laughs without realizing.

“We can do that,” Jiho says, feeling his cheeks turn warm. “Kiss, I mean, not the other stuff yet.”

Jaehyo smiles, and he walks back to the bed, although he doesn’t sit on it. “You sure?”

“Yeah.”

When Jaehyo’s hand reaches to cup his cheek, Jiho lets his eyes close, waiting for Jaehyo’s lips to touch his. It’s soft, he’s gentle, and Jiho feels too treasured. It’s a strange feeling. When they part after the chaste kiss, Jaehyo looks at him with adoring eyes. Suddenly, Jiho kind of understands what Jaehyo had meant earlier about imagining what might have happened if somehow they had had a one-night stand the first night they met. The morning after of that imaginary scenario would have been so similar to this one, the two of them waking up in this apartment, one or both of them slightly hungover. But it would also have been very different, because if these were the Jiho and Jaehyo who had just had a casual fuck, they won’t have gotten to know each other past their facades, and they won’t be sharing sweet chaste kisses like they are right now. Stroking Jaehyo’s face, Jiho thinks of what Jaehyo had said earlier, about knowing people past their appearances, and he’s glad, very glad that he had the opportunity to know the handsome guy in the bar as Jaehyo, fourth year architecture student who’s smart, a dork but also straightforward and bold, instead of just another pretty face. He’s glad.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know what this is. It started as an attempt to use the word facade as a metaphor for people's appearances vs who they really are because I'm fascinated by how Jiho seems to be quite different when he's not being Zico, and some interviews along the way also suggests that Jaehyo isn't just all he appears to be either ("visual" of Block B/tangerine hyung). But then my architecture school knowledge crept in, telling me it'll be a good idea to bring in architectural facades, so this happened. This is like the longest one-shot I have ever written, and I'll like to know what you guys think of it, if you liked it or not, because honestly I got stuck a lot while writing, and I really considered scrapping it and not publishing it, but I don't know. I figured I should just put it out there anyway. Anyway, if you've read the whole thing, and my rambly author's notes, thank you :) I really appreciate it.


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